


Graveside Memories

by sophisticus



Series: Pink Lightning [17]
Category: One Piece
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-22
Updated: 2018-09-22
Packaged: 2019-07-15 09:42:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,169
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16060484
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sophisticus/pseuds/sophisticus
Summary: It's been years since the War of the Best, and the Straw Hat crew has finally made it to the island with Ace's grave. Kitty is given some time alone to finally say goodbye to her old captain and lover.





	Graveside Memories

A warm hand trailed slowly down Kitty’s bare back, gently pulling her from sleep. She made a sleepy little noise and snuggled closer against the torso she lay sprawled across, reluctant to wake. “Kitty,” Ace’s warm voice called. “It’s morning.”

“Fifteen more minutes,” Kitty mumbled.

The chest underneath her rumbled with his chuckle. “Come on, I gotta pee.”

“Hold it.”

“You’re cruel,” Ace groaned. He gently but firmly dumped her off to the side, ignoring her whine.

“Aw, I was warm,” Kitty pouted. Still, she eyed him appreciatively as Ace pulled on underwear and shorts.

“Are you enjoying the view?” he teased, noticing her stare.

“Always.” Kitty stretched, enjoying Ace’s equally appreciative gaze along her bare skin. “Come back to bed~”

“I can’t, I’ve got stuff to do,” he said. Still, he sat back on the bed, easily allowing her to draw him into one kiss, and another, and another. “Kitty…”

“Stay,” she breathed. “Please?”

Ace kissed her once more. “Give me an hour, ok? Then I’ll be back.”

“Alright,” she agreed reluctantly. She gave him one last long kiss before letting him go. He gave her a little wave before closing the door behind him. When he was gone, Kitty let out a giggle. Being a logia, her electricity Devil Fruit powers didn’t hurt him one bit, and honestly he didn’t even notice it most of the time. That didn’t mean that he was totally immune to it. For example: she could make his hair stand up on end if she did it right, like she’d just done.

Outside the door, she could hear the rest of the crew’s laughter at their captain, and she bit her lip as she waited...and waited…

The door burst open, revealing an incredulous, staticky-haired Ace. “ _ You, _ ” he growled, pointing an accusing finger at the now uncontrollably-giggling Kitty.

“Me!”

\---

Kitty smiled softly at the memory of Ace mercilessly tickling her in retaliation for making his hair stand on end. The breeze ruffled her hair, and made the flowers around Ace’s grave sway. Shanks had chosen a beautiful island to set up the memorial graves for both Ace and Whitebeard, but of course only Ace’s had her attention today.

Today was the fifth anniversary of Ace’s death, February fifteenth. Luffy had brought them here, and requested that both he and Kitty be given time alone to visit Ace’s grave. It was one of few captain’s orders he’d given that was immediately accepted by the entire crew. Luffy had already visited, and spent almost an hour up on the hill before returning to the ship. Now it was Kitty’s turn.

“I miss you,” Kitty said softly. She trailed her fingers over the inscription on the marble: ‘Ace, may your soul be eternal. Your brave soul will always be with us.’ “I miss your smile...your humor...your passion. I miss your warmth.”

The beads of Ace’s necklace clinked softly in the wind. She could still remember the day she’d spotted it in a store window and thought of him, and how happy he’d looked when she’d slipped it over his head. How they’d almost kissed, even though this was before they’d admitted their feelings for one another. Back then, everything had felt so simple. Raid a marine base here, help out an island in need there, taunt an admiral now and then, and repeat. It was such a stark contrast to her life before, separated from her family and home. Ace and the Spades pirates became her new family, her new home.

Just like Luffy and the rest of the Straw Hats had become. Over the last several years, they’d become every bit as close as the Spades had been. They’d even helped her free her parents, something Kitty would never stop being grateful for. Still...as much as she loved them, and loved her life aboard the Sunny, and loved being engaged to Zoro - something she could still hardly believe - she couldn’t help but miss Ace and the life she’d had as his vice captain. Kitty missed him with an ache that burned deep in her heart, and still woke her up at night sometimes.

A stray tear escaped, and she let it trail down her cheek. “I’m sorry I haven’t visited sooner,” Kitty said quietly. “Things have been crazy. Fishman Island, Punk Hazard, Dressrosa, Zou, Wano...we’ve hardly had time to breathe between fighting Emperors and Warlords. You know, my bounty is getting pretty high. It’s almost as high as yours was...though I think you’d be proudest of Luffy. After he took on Big Mom, they raised it to one and a half  _ billion _ . A billion! I think it’s the highest bounty the World Government has ever given! I still hardly believe it myself.

“And I’m not sure where you are now - I know you didn’t really put much stock in an afterlife, and I don’t know what to believe - but I bet you looked for Sabo when you got there. I’m sure by now you realize Sabo is alive!” Kitty shook her head. “I know, I couldn’t believe it either. I only knew what you and Luffy told me about him, but man, you should’ve seen Luffy. He cried for three hours straight, which probably doesn’t surprise you at all. He’s always been a crybaby.”

Kitty sniffled and wiped away her own tears. “But then again, so have I. Especially after you...after you died. I haven’t cried so much since I was first separated from my parents. I still get nightmares about it...it’s hard waking up and you’re not there. Zoro’s helped, but I don’t think it’ll ever be the same.

“You don’t have to worry about Luffy. We’re taking care of him as best as we can. And they’re taking care of me...even if I feel alone sometimes, I know I’m not. I miss you  _ so much _ , but being a Straw Hat makes it all bearable. It makes it  _ worthwhile _ .”

Kitty stood and brushed dirt from her pants from where she’d knelt. On the top edge of the huge marble slab, she reached up and pressed a kiss against the cold, hard stone - the exact opposite of how warm and soft Ace’s lips had been.

“I’ll visit again,” she promised. “I’m sure Luffy will come back once he’s King of the Pirates. He’s proud of the bounty, sure, but you know him. He won’t rest until he’s reached his goal. I think after that, he’ll feel you’ve got a right to be proud of him. I know...you’re already proud of him. I am too.”

Kitty let her touch linger on the marble before she stepped back. “I love you,” she murmured. “No matter what, I always will. I wish I’d been able to give you a proper goodbye back then, but I guess this will have to do. Goodbye, Ace...I’ll see you again someday.”

With that, she turned and headed back down to shore, where the Sunny and her new family waited for her.


End file.
